Shoe scraper



Oct. 6, 1970 D. J. ENGEL 3,531,816

SHOE SCRAPER Filed Aug. 19, 1968 INVENTOR.

Donald J. Engel BY y FIG. 3

ATTORNEY United States Patent 01 hoe 3,531,816 Patented Oct. 6, 1970 3,531,816 SHOE SCRAPER Donald J. Engel, 6145 Dover St., Arvada, Colo. 80002 Filed Aug. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 753,534 Int. Cl. A471 23/24 US. Cl. 15237 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shoe or boot scraper has a fiat blade member with a scraping edge arranged to be pivotally mounted on an upright side of a structural support, such as, the side of a step at the entrance to a building. A stop projects transversely from an edge of the blade member to dispose the scraping edge in an upstanding position above the support and also supports the blade member when pivoted lengthwise and inverted about its pivot to an inactive out-of-theway position.

This invention relates to a novel and improved boot or shoe scraper device adapted for quick mounting at a convenient location, such as, on a step, curb or walk adjoining the entrance to a building.

There is a frequent need for an effective scraper to remove mud and the like from shoes or boots which can be mounted as a permanent installation at the entrance to the house or the like. However, from the standpoint of safety it is advantageous and desirable that the scraper device be movable to an out-of-the-way position when not in use. Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a simple, durable and easy-to-use shoe or boot scraper which may be easily mounted on the side of a step, curb or walk at the entrance of a house.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shoe scraper which is easily movable to an inactive position on a level with or below the top of a support surface when not in use.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a shoe scraper which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

In accordance with the present invention, in a preferred embodiment a flat blade member of a generally trapezoidal configuration has a stop portion which holds the blade in both the active and inactive positions, and the blade is arranged for mounting by a pivot located at the wider end so as to swing easily from the useable position with the blade substantially above the top of the support surface to an out-of-the-way position with the blade member inverted and the edge opposite the scraper edge at least level with or below the top surface of the support.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will be more apparent as the description proceeds taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a doorway of a building having a step and sidewalk with the shoe scraper embodying features of the invention mounted in the useable position at one side of the step.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the scraper blade shown in the useable position with the inactive position and an intermediate position illustrated in dash lines; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional fragmentary view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 with the step being illustrated as of a concrete material.

Referring now to the drawings the scraper 7 is shown in FIG. 1 in the useable position located on the forward surface of a support or step 8 having a fiat top surface 8 adjoining the doorway 9 to a house to provide for the cleaning of shoes or boots before entry. Other similar support structures can be used to support the scraper as for example the side of the sidewalk or curb as long as it has a generally flat top surface and a generally flat upright side surface adjacent thereto.

As shown the shoe scraper 7 in general comprises a flat body or blade member designated by numeral 11 of a particular shape arranged with a pivot or pivotal axis defined by an aperture 12 which receives a pivot member 13 for pivoting it on a side wall or upright planar surface of the step 8. Pivot member 13 may be a threaded bolt as shown which is easily installed by threading it into a hole drilled into the side of the support. When the support is of a wood material, a simple wood thread on the bolt is adequate. When the support is of a concrete material as shown in FIG. 3 then a preferred installation is to drill a hole or lateral bore into the side wall and insert a plug 14 having internal threads of a lead material or the like into which the bolt may be threaded. In this manner the blade member 11 will pivot about pivot member 13 while flush against the step between a useable position shown in full lines in FIGS. 2 and 3 to an inverted inactive out-of-the-way position shown in dash lines at A with an intermediate position designated B.

Blade member 11 is formed of an essentially fiat sheet or plate preferably of steel which is generally trapezoidal in shape having parallel ends 15 and 16 and straight side or edge 17 perpendicular to the ends which forms the scraping edge and another side 18 which is not perpendicular to the ends and is non-parallel or inclined to the scraper edge 17. With this shape the blade member may also be characterized by a wider end portion designated 21 and a narrower end portion designated 22. The corners of the blade member are preferably rounded as shown.

A stop portion 23 projects inwardly from the inclined side or edge 18 at its narrow end portion 22. This stop portion is narrow in width and is flat so as to seat on the flat top surface 8 of the support 8 in the inactive position. In this position the stop portion 23 and the pivotal member 13 dispose the blade member below the top of support 8 and the inclined side or edge 18 in a generally horizontal position which is essentially level or even with the fiat top surface of the support 8. Thus the stop portion 23 which is thin is the only portion above the top of the support 8 so that the blade member may be characterized as below the top of step 8. A preferred construction is to form the blade member 11 and the top portion 23 from a single sheet of material such as a sheet of steel on the order of 4;" in thickness and shape or bend the stop portion transversely of the remainder of the sheet at right angle to edge 18. A preferred overall length dimension of the blade would be on the order of 6".

The pivot or pivotal axis of the blade member is located in particular relation to the edges of the stop portion. This axis defined by aperture 12 is located in the wider end portion 21 in closer proximity to the inclined edge 18 then the scraper edge 17 so that when in the useable position the scraper edge is essentially above the level of the top for engagement by the sole of the shoe or boot during scraping. In the inactive position the blade member is pivoted to an inverted position and the inclined edge 18 faces upwardly and is generally level with the fiat top surface of the step.

As best shown in FIG. 2 the pivot is disposed approxi mately the same perpendicular distance inwardly from the scraping edge 17 beyond the stop or inwardly beyond the top of the support surface as the perpendicular distance inwardly of the inclined edge and in this way the inclined edge is essentially even with the top surface when rotated to the inverted inactive position.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the blade member 11 will pivot by swinging action along its lengthwise extent to either the useable position with the top edge 17 generally horizontal, to an inverted position 'with the opposite edge 18 facing upwardly so that it is clearly out of the way and will not be contacted during ingress and egress into the doorway.

It is understood that a variety of pivotal arrangements may be used to mount the blade member which will provide easy installation by insertion into an avail able support surface adjoining the entrance to a building or the like.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present dsclosure has been made only by way of example and that changes in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe scraper adapted from mounting on a structural support comprising a relatively fiat blade member having a scraping edge, an edge opposite said scraping edge, a stop adjacent one end and projecting transversely from a side surface of said blade member, said stop being engageable with the top of the support to hold said blade member in both a useable position with the scraping edge disposed substantially above the top of the support and in an inverted inactive position when rotated relative to the support through an angle of about 180 degrees with the blade member below and its opposite edge essentially even with the top of the support, and a pivot for the blade member for engaging the side of the support disposed adjacent the other end of the blade member at a preselected perpendicular distance inwardly from the scraping edge beyond the stop to pivot said blade member between said useable and inactive positions.

2. A shoe scraper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivot is disposed approximately the same perpendicular distance from the scraping edge beyond the stop as the perpendicular distance inwardly of the inclined edge.

3. A shoe scraper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blade member and stop are formed of a single sheet of material, said stop portion being bent over so as to be generally perpendicular to the inner side surface of the blade member.

4. A shoe scraper as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said scraping and opposite edges are disposed generally horizontal when facing upwardly.

5. A shoe scraper assembly comprising a support surface having a flat top and an upright side wall, a relatively fiat blade member having a scraping edge and an edge disposed oppositely of and inclined to said scraping edge to form a wider end portion and a narrower end portion, a stop adjacent the narrower end portion projecting transversely from a side surface at said opposite edge, said stop portion being engageable with the top surface of the support to hold said blade member both in a useable position with the scraping edge disposed substantially above the support and in an inactive inverted position with the blade member below and the opposite edge essentially even with the top surface of the support when rotated through an angle of about 180 degrees, a pivot for the blade engaging the side wall and disposed adjacent the wider end portion at the top surface at approximately the same perpendicular distance from the scraping edge beyond the stop to the pivot as the perpendicular distance from the inclined edge to the pivot for pivoting said blade member between said inactive and useable positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,104,360 7/1914 Kusterer 29675 1,475,818 11/1923 Harmon 15237 1,501,152 7/1924 Trick 15-237 1,590,382 6/1926 King 29675 2,579,006 12/1951 Mims 15-237 3,028,617 4/1962 Raeina 151 12 X WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner 

